This morning as I was doing my devotion and story stuck out to me. It was about Zachariah and Zerrubbabel. (not sure I spelled that name correctly). Anyway, the story was about the devastation of Jerusalem and how Zerr is sitting there in the midst of all the rubble going "what the heck am I going to do? I'm supposed to rebuilt this entire wall, but with what people? Nobody showed up to help me!" Anyway, Zach shows up, grinning ear to ear and tells him to go to the cornerstone aka the capstone and shout at it. Okay, well Zerr already feels like a fool and says, "You want me to shout at a stone? Don't you think that sounds a little crazy?" Zach, who was a prophet, just smiles and says, "Look you want to rebuilt, go shout at the stone GRACE GRACE!" So Zerr rather halfheartedly thinks "oh whatever" and walks to the capstone. He sort of just monotones out "Grace Grace" and nothing happens. Zach says, "No you have to do this with all your might! REally shout!" Zerr tries again and still does a bad job. Zach looks at Zerr and shakes his head and says, "You know what your problem is Zerr?" Zerr says "no". Zach says, "You despise small beginnings."

For some reason, that hit me between the eyes! Small beginnings lead to pretty awesome endings. You have to begin somewhere or you'll never find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Okay, so what does that say to me?
We all would like to find the big pay off, but many of us don't want to go through the initial part, the beginning which is always a struggle. Of course, in that struggle you become stronger and stronger.

I couldn't get this out of my mind. Today I'm going to begin something and you know what? I'm going to learn to take joy in the struggle to grow. Who knows? Someday it could pay off! Have a great day.

When I got this basil plant it was one little stalk and two or three leaves -- a small beginning. See what sunlight, water, food and tlc will do?